Chicken Saag
and roasted broccoli / cauliflower rice
We're excited to bring back this authentic Indian meal of tender chicken in a rich spinach sauce. This Cook Smarts classic was last featured in 2021, but we've added cauliflower rice to this version for an even heartier meal. Fragrant spices add color and flavor to the dish.
Ingredients
- Cauliflower florets - 12 oz
- Butter - 1 Tbsp
- Onions, medium - 1 , diced
- Jalapenos - 1 , diced; seeds removed for less spice
- Garlic - 2 cloves , chopped
- Ginger, fresh - 1 tsp , grated
- Frozen chopped spinach - 16 oz , defrosted and drained of as much liquid as possible
- Tomatoes, diced (14 oz / 397 g) - 1 can
- Chicken breasts, boneless and skinless - 1 1/2 lbs , cubed
- Cilantro leaves - 1/4 cup , chopped
- Turmeric, ground - 1 Tbsp
- Oil, cooking - 2 Tbsp + 1 Tbsp
- Coriander, ground - 2 tsp
- Cumin, ground - 1 1/2 tsp
- Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
- Broccoli - 1 head , florets
- Oil, cooking - 1 1/2 Tbsp
- Garam masala - 1 1/2 tsp
Prep
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Cauliflower rice - Pulse florets in a food processor until broken up into ‘rice’-sized bits. Cook rice in one of two ways: 1) Microwave for 4 to 5 minutes and then fold in butter. Season with some salt and pepper; or 2) Heat a pan over medium-high heat and add butter. Saute cauliflower for ~5 minutes, until tender but still crunchy. Season to taste with some salt and pepper. Watch this video for the full how-to on cauliflower rice. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
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Broccoli / Onions / Jalapenos/ Garlic / Ginger - (If prepping right before cooking, get oven heating first.) Prep as directed. Store broccoli in its own container. Combine onions, jalapenos, garlic, and ginger in another container. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
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Spinach - Defrost spinach in microwave or in a bowl of warm water. When completely thawed, drain well in a colander. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
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Make sauce - Combine spinach and tomatoes (including liquid) in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead).
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Chicken - Cube chicken. Tenderize with a fork. Season with some salt and pepper. (Can be done 1 day ahead)
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Cilantro - Chop cilantro.
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Season chicken - Toss chicken with turmeric and some salt. Set aside for at least 5 minutes.
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Make
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Heat oven to 400F / 204C.
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Toss broccoli with oil, garam masala (portions for broccoli), and some salt. Spread out on a sheet pan. Roast, turning with a spatula halfway through cooking, until tender and golden brown, ~30 minutes.
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While broccoli roasts, heat a Dutch oven or large saucepan with first part of oil (portion for saag) over medium heat. Add chicken. Cook, turning occasionally, until golden brown on all sides, 4 to 5 minutes (it may not be cooked all the way through). Set aside.
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To heated pan, add second part of oil (portion for saag). Add onions, jalapenos, garlic, and ginger. Saute until very tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Season with some salt.
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Add in ground coriander, cumin, and garam masala (portion for saag). Saute until fragrant, ~1 minute more.
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Pour spinach and tomato sauce over aromatics, stirring well to release any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 5 minutes.
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Add chicken to sauce and simmer until chicken is cooked through, ~5 minutes more.
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If cauliflower rice was made ahead of time, warm it in the microwave.
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Serve chicken saag over cauliflower rice and top with cilantro. Enjoy with broccoli on the side.
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